By Julie Musick for June 2023 Newsletter
Yorktown Schools didn’t offer kindergarten when my family moved from Muncie to Yorktown in 1963. I was already a seasoned kindergartener with 2 months under my belt at Garfield Elementary School. I already knew how to stand in line and share. I played well with others. At nap time I preferred to lie quietly on my rug by my friend, Linus Poe. I knew how to make a friend.
Although there was no public kindergarten in Yorktown, there was a private kindergarten–Alpha Omega. The cost was $3.50 a week to attend. That was a lot of money back then, so I had to choose between kindergarten or continuing tap dancing. I already “knew” how to tap dance. Playing with other children at a school sounded like more fun.
Alpha Omega Kindergarten was run by the Alpha Omega Federated Women’s Club. They formed their club in Yorktown in October 1952 and joined the Federation of Women’s Clubs. According to Muncie Newspapers, Mrs. Myron Lillie was tentatively the first president. Muncie Newspapers reported on the organization’s many community projects, reporting peaking in the 1960’s. Providing kindergarten in Yorktown was one of the many community activities. School was held on the top floor of the American Legion Building on Broadway.
The Alpha Omega Club wasn’t the first women’s club to start a school in Yorktown. The Yorktown Woman’s Club established a free kindergarten in their school as early as 1912.
Our teachers in the 1963-64 school year were Mrs. O’Hara and Mrs. Law. Many of the children with whom we attended kindergarten, graduated together from Yorktown High School in 1976.
| Allen, Deborah; Bonnet, Jerry*; Bousman, Larry*; Burton, Jeff*; Clevenger, Eric; Clevenger, Larry*; DeWees, Richard; Fight, Kendra*; Fight, Kimberly*; Gale, Jerry*; Gillum, Anita; Grimes, Gregory; Hamilton, Nancy*; Johnson, James*; Lance, Sherry*; Libey, Douglas; Lynn, Michael*; Marvin, Bill*; McCormick, David*; Morris, John*; Morrow, Melinda*; Musick, Julie(*); Puckett, Tammy*; Richards, Kevin; Ritchie, William; Shores, Lisa; Spurgeon, Craig; Stanley, John*; Townsend, Paul; Turner, Wayne*; Warfel, Brenda*; Wilhoit, Michelle*; Woods, Charles |
| ¨ Be kind¨ “Share and take turns¨ “Keep your hands to yourself¨ “Play hard¨ “Learn¨ “Use your manners¨ “Clean up after yourself¨ “ “Take a nap when you can¨ “A graham cracker goes down easier with chocolate milk¨ “It’s okay to color outside of the lines¨ “Four legs on the floor¨ “Treat others as you want to be treated¨ “Let others finish speaking before talking¨ “Be a friend to all classmates¨ “Follow directions¨ “Everyone is an artist¨ “Listen¨ “Help each other¨ “Learn from mistakes¨ “Don’t run with scissors ¨ “Always do your best“ |